The present invention generally relates to lancets used in bodily fluid sampling devices and more particularly, but not exclusively, to an integrated sampling device that contains multiple openings to allow fluid to be automatically or manually sampled.
A variety of body fluid sampling devices, such as blood glucose meters, have been developed to form an incision and to analyze body fluid from the incision. In one type of device, a lancet is used to form an incision, and after forming the incision, the user manually places a test strip against the skin in order to draw a fluid sample into the test strip. Sometimes the fluid drawn onto the test strip is not enough to generate accurate test results. Coagulation of blood or other fluids in the test strip can prevent further dosing of the test strip. When this occurs, the user has to discard the test strip and either try to collect additional fluid from the same incision onto a new test strip or form a second incision so as to repeat the process. As should be appreciated, this can be both wasteful and painful. Although test strips have been developed to test the sufficiency in the amount of the body fluid drawn, the sufficiency test occurs after the test strip draws the fluid, which is too late, because the test strip still has to be discarded.
Thus, there is need for further contribution in this area of technology.